Robert Browning Biography
(Poet & Playwright)
Birthday: May 7, 1812 (Taurus)
Born In: Camberwell
Robert Browning was an English poet and playwright who became famous during the Victorian era for his dramatic verses in poems and plays. His writing skills, imagination, and way of expression were highly influenced by his father’s experiences. When his father was sent by his grandfather to supervise the operations of a sugar plantation in the West Indies,he was completely disgusted with the slavery being practiced at the sugar plantations and returned home after giving up the cushy job. This angered his grandfather who deprived his father from enjoying the family fortune made from the sugar plantation. Thus Robert’s father had to forego a life of plenty and took up a simple clerical job with the Bank of England. He amassed a huge library where there were hundreds of volumes on different topics on his own salary, got married and raised his family without taking anything financial help from his father.Robert Jr. picked up his flair for describing events from his father who could talk to him on various incidents that had occurred a long time ago very explicitly and clearly. His rise in popularity as a poet was due to his dramatic monologue where a character reveals his or her personal insights to a listener. His works were initially regarded by the poets of the 20th century to be too obscure but eventually became highly popular.